Elon Musk vows to BAN iPhones from his companies and signals looming AI tech war after Apple announces ChatGPT tie-up

ELON MUSK is ready to ban iPhones and Mac computers from his company after tech rival Apple announced plans to use OpenAI.

The billionaire owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) and Tesla said Apple products would not be welcomed at his company if Apple paired with OpenAI‘s ChatGPT.

Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X, formerly known as Twitter said he would ban Apple products from his company

It was recently announced that Siri would be integrated with OpenAI to create ‘Apple Intelligence’

Apple CEO Tim Smith (not pictured) said Apple was committed to ensuring its customers privacy

Apple unveiled a slew of features at its annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference on Monday, June 10, including the controversial decision to fit Siri with GPT.4o.

The move has sparked security concerns, with Musk taking to X to voice his apprehension over Apple AI’s data safety and storage.

Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and now runs a rival firm called xAI after he left the company in 2018.

Musk’s xAI, is an alternative to the viral chatbot ChatGPT. It was recently valued at $24 billion.

In a post on X, Musk said: “If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies.

“That is an unacceptable security violation.

“It is patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet it is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security and privacy.

“They are selling you down the river.”

Musk added: “Employee and visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage.”

A Faraday cage blocks cellular reception, as well as wireless internet and Bluetooth signals.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that one of the five criteria Apple Intelligence needs to meet is being ‘private’. 

He said: “Apple Intelligence will be keeping users’ personal information on their devices rather than uploading it to an Apple-owned cloud’ thanks to the company’s powerful new M chips.”

OpenAI president Greg Brockman, said the new development would be available “later this year”.

He said on X: “Very excited!”

It’s not the first time OpenAI has caused controversy.

OpenAI recently made headlines when Scarlett Johansson accused ChatGPT.4o of deliberately mimicking her voice with a chatbot called Sky.

In a statement to Variety, Johansson said: “When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine.”

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman denied that the voice was based on the Avengers actress.

He said: “The voice of Sky is not Scarlett Johansson’s, and it was never intended to resemble hers.

“Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we have paused using Sky’s voice in our products”